Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Published: April 28th, 2011 (UK), May 3rd, 2011 (US)
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 496
Source: ARC for review from HarperCollins
Challenge: Debut Author Challenge 2011, 100+ Reading Challenge, 350 Page Books Challenge
Other: First book in the series, also called Divergent.
Buy the book: Bookdepository

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. 

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.


Beatrice is a sixteen year old girl who is forced to make a decision about the faction where she will spend the rest of her live on Choosing Day. She surprises everyone with her choice and starts a new life. While she struggles with the challenges of initiation to the faction she's chosen, she also struggles with her own feelings and the secret that she is desperate to keep, because it could kill her when the people around her find out. In a society that not is what it seems, Beatrice struggles to stay alive and not stand out.

In this thrilling debut novel of Veronica Roth, we meet a sixteen year old girl that is easy to relate to. She lives in a faction where she doesn't feel at home - but she is not sure if she will chose a different faction for the rest of her life. I found Beatrice easy to relate to and besides that a tough character. The writing made it easy for me to imagine the five factions and the lively descriptions of the characters formed faces and personalities as if the character was standing right in front of me.

In the beginning of the book, we meet Four (by the way, I knew who he was immediately when he was mentioned, he he) and he appears to be a tough guy - but he proves himself to be invaluable to Tris. I liked Four, but nothing more than that - I didn't love him the way some of the other bloggers seem to do. I found Uriah an interesting character, as well as Eric, and, even though he scared the crap out of me, Peter. I'm curious to find out more about Marcus in the next book as well.

In this dystopian world, nothing is as perfect as it seems and Veronica Roth has written a thrilling story of the people in the society that struggle with the factions and living in them. It had me hooked within minutes and I read the book within 24 hours - even though I had a seriously bad migraine.

My overall rating:


Five stars - but beware, this book might be addictive. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to preorder me a shiny hardcover copy..